Ireland's new guidance on reducing formula risks

An extract: "Dr Cliodhna Foley-Nolan, Director, Human Health and Nutrition at Safefood warned that powdered infant formula is not a sterile product and has the potential to cause illness if not prepared properly. In rare circumstances, powdered infant formula can contain the bacterium Enterobacter sakazakii (E.sakazakii) and other harmful bacteria. These bacteria can cause illness in infants. Babies under 2 months are most at risk. However, making up the formula using water that is above 70°C will kill E.sakazakii and any other bacteria like salmonella that may be present, said Dr Foley-Nolan."Neither this warning nor the advice on how to reduce the risks of possible contamination is provided by baby food companies, though they have known of the problem since the 1960s. It came to widespread public attention following the death of a 5-day-old child in Belgium in 2002 linked to contaminated Nestlé formula.

Calls by the Baby Feeding Law Group, consisting of UK health worker and mother support groups, to make it a legal requirement to bring labels into line were rejected in a consultation last year as the industry called for action to be kept to a minimum. Instead Guidance Notes 'recommend' that companies change their labels. Even this recommendation though has not come into force as the industry has succeeded in having the regulations suspended through an action at the High Court.

For those using formula, or planning to do so, the Irish guidance is as follows:

---The 10-steps on making baby’s bottles safely are:

Boil water

Leave to cool for 30 minutes * but no longer* [emphasis added - water should be above 70 Deg. C - companies do not tell parents this].

The need for a legal requirement that companies bring their labels into line was demonstrated by the Belgium case. The parents took Nestlé to court for negligence in not providing correct warnings and instructions. The Judge found for Nestlé on the basis it had done what was required by the law.